of the hands together, and inhale while extending the arms on an horizontal line as far back as they can be thrown.

14. Having placed the palms together, as before, inhale while throwing the arms outward and downward.

15. Clinch the fists, raise them to the sides of the chest, and exhale while thrusting the arms forward, at the full length.

16. Inhale with the arms forward. Inhale with a gasp while throwing the arms backward energetically.

17. With the arms akimbo, fill the lungs, and throw the chest forward and downward as far as possible, retaining the breath. Exhaust the air in the same posture. Inhale

while recovering the erect posture.

18. Inflate fully, with the arms akimbo and the heels together, and, retaining the breath, throw the head as far backward as possible.

19. Exhaust the lungs, throw the head back as before, and inhale during the recovery to the erect posture.

20. Stand in the erect posture, with the hands at the sides, lean far to the right while inhaling, and recover posture with the lungs full.

21. Repeat the same exercise, inclining the body to the left.

The above movements should, in every case, be moderately and deliberately practiced until there is sufficient reserved force to increase the violence of the exercise. In all vocal drill, and in all muscular exercise affecting it, no violence should be done at the beginning or at the ending of the discipline by sudden efforts of any kind. Great injury may result from a disregard of this simple direction.

The same care should be used in regard to the number of the exercises. It is not well to indulge in an excessive amount at one time. It may be thought that unnecessary attention is given to the breathing exercises, and those accompanying them; but it should be remembered that the

lungs are the bellows to supply the air, and that, when the chest is flexible, and the muscles moving it strong and pliable, the voice will be accordingly benefited by it.

CHAPTER III.

ARTICULATION.

After securing the proper management of the breath, distinct articulation is the next excellence to be sought by the public speaker. This has reference, first, to the simple action of the muscles in the articulating process. Like a well-formed joint, the syllable fits into its place in the word, and so moves without hindrance to the ear. Imperfect or unfinished articulation might be termed disjointed. The syllables do not fit into their sockets. And it should be observed that, inasmuch as this relates purely to the muscular action, it is distinct from enunciation, which has reference to the sound of the syllable, or pronunciation, which decides the correct accent, etc., according to established usage.

Faulty articulation is the result of an imperfect action of the will-power, through inadvertence or inattention, for, in almost every instance, it is a possible thing to articulate, if the speaker wills to do so. Too much care given to this matter becomes quite apparent as a defect. The schoolmaster's pedantic and labored style is plainly the result of paying too close attention to the mechanical action in speech. The following exercises are set down as valuable in this connection:

1. A useful drill-exercise is to give the action of the organs in the articulation of the letters of the alphabet by forming the syllables silently as they occur in a word, but uttering no sound. Articulate the alphabet in this way,

not whispering the elements, nor naming them, but giving them simply the function of silent formation. Let this be repeated with varying degrees of force, from moderate to strongest, and with different rates of movement, from slow to quickest. Practice also with the vocal chords set in the different positions required for varied pitch.

2. Then name the letters of the alphabet, with the varying degrees of force, movement, and pitch, as above.

3. Articulate vocally the separate syllables of a word in succession, e. g., those of the word "elocution," giving the successive syllables "el," "ō," "cu," "tion." Practice any other words in the same way.

4. Articulate the sounds formed by varying position of the mouth. The following brief table will illustrate the author's meaning, and describe the position of the mouth referred to:

66

66

"Ah," formed by the widest opening; "aw," formed by sinking of the larynx and projection of the lips; "ă," formed by drawing the corners of the mouth back; "ē," formed with the mouth nearly closed, and the tongue raised in the mouth.

The same study in the position of the organs may be followed with other sounds.

It has been demonstrated by the distinguished scientist Helmholtz, with the aid of ingenious apparatus, that the vowel sounds are each formed by a certain number of vibrations per second of the air propelled in breath. Madame Seiler, his former assistant, now resident in this country, in her work entitled "The Voice in Speaking," has carried this theory still further, and applied it to the consonants. This is testified to by the natural key of the sound of each letter. Imperfections in the sound of elements and syllables is, therefore, the result of an insufficient or excessive number of vibrations employed in forming them, together with the position of the vocal organs. It is not our purpose to enter into any discussion of this matter, but simply

to suggest to those who are scientifically or musically interested how the different tones may be formed or their accuracy verified. The references should fix our attention, however, on the fact that the delivery of the correct sound of a syllable requires very delicate action and exact position of the organs. The slightest departure from the standard When the will of the

impairs the accuracy of the sound. speaker is inert, and the ear dull, indistinctness results by necessity. This is well illustrated when a person, speaking carelessly, fails to convey a single intelligible word in an entire sentence. The attention of the speaker having been called to this by a request for repetition, he exerts more will, pays closer attention to his utterance, and every syllable becomes distinctly audible. The custom of speaking distinctly, whether in public or in private, may be acquired, as other habits are, by repetition. If the student will but drill himself on the utterance of a single word, giving it clearly and distinctly, he will find the effect quite apparent, after practicing a short time, whenever he has occasion to use the word. The effect of any given mental occupation, or style of delivering thought, upon the manner of speaking, is quite evident in the professions. A schoolmaster, who, for a series of years, has given himself to explicit directions and explanations, and the lawyer, whose custom it is to be emphatically exact in imparting his thought, both show the effect of such professional life.

Defects in speech, if serious, require professional aid to overcome them; but ordinary indistinctness and the slighter impediments may be easily remedied by obeying the directions following:

1. Fasten the attention upon the syllable or word, and utter it with the determined purpose to make it clear and distinct.

2. A preliminary pause will often untwist the chains that tie the tongue, or enable them to untwist themselves.

3. Draw a deep inspiration, to relax the contraction of the nerves and muscles.

4. Mark the time rhythmically for the delivery, somewhat in the style of recitative in music.

5. Form the words in the front of the mouth, rather than in the back of it or the throat, if the elements admit of it.

No speaker should willingly content himself with anything less than such clear articulation as would render every word distinctly audible to every listener.

And yet, while every one would be willing to admit the value and the necessity of this distinctness, probably not one in twenty is heard in every word of the Service by the entire congregation. This is unpardonable negligence on the part of the speaker, and, in many cases, an intolerable annoyance to the hearer. It is not surprising that many in a congregation will not distress themselves to make the special effort to catch the words, when the clergyman himself will not make the necessary exertion to distinctly articulate them.

The acquisition of a distinct articulation lies within the power of every speaker, and he is voluntarily and culpably diminishing his effectiveness by tolerating anything less than a clear and emphatic delivery of every sound in every syllable. Any one can test the matter for himself, by questioning his sexton, or other church officer at the rear of the building, as to whether every word penetrates to the farthest corner. If he will read aloud to himself some such familiar passage as the Exhortation of the Daily Service, he will probably observe a tendency to slight some of the minor syllables, and especially such little words as and, of, the, etc.

That we do not over-state the charges against imperfect articulation will be apparent to any one who will examine a not uncommon reading of the Exhortation. The a in acknowledge is often given with the short sound of e or iecknowledge or icknowledge. The d in and following, and,